Caring for SPS Corals in your Reef Tank.

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SPS corals, or Small Polyp Stony corals, are a popular and challenging group of corals for reef aquarium hobbyists. These corals are known for their bright colors and intricate structures, but they are also highly sensitive to changes in water quality and environmental conditions. Proper care and attention are essential for maintaining the health and beauty of SPS corals in your reef tank.

Lighting

SPS corals require intense lighting to survive and thrive in your reef tank. They need strong light in order to produce the energy they need to survive, and they are particularly sensitive to changes in light levels. High-quality LED lights or metal halide lights are good options for providing the necessary light spectrum and intensity for SPS corals. It's also important to maintain consistent light levels and to avoid sudden changes in lighting.

Water Quality

Water quality is critical for the health of SPS corals in your reef tank. These corals are highly sensitive to changes in water quality, so it's important to maintain consistent water parameters. This includes temperature, pH, salinity, nitrates, and phosphates. Regular water testing and water changes can help to maintain a stable and healthy environment for your SPS corals.

Nutrition

SPS corals also require a balanced diet in order to thrive in your reef tank. These corals feed primarily on microscopic organisms, but they can also benefit from being fed small amounts of food, such as brine shrimp or phytoplankton. It's important to not overfeed your SPS corals, as excess food can lead to an increase in nitrogenous waste, which can be harmful to your corals and other inhabitants in your tank.

Placement

SPS corals require proper placement in your reef tank to ensure that they receive adequate light and water flow. These corals need to be placed near the top of the tank where they receive strong light and strong water flow. This will help to provide them with the nutrients and energy they need to grow and thrive. Additionally, it's important to not place SPS corals too close to other corals or rocks, as they may damage each other during growth.

Final Thoughts

Caring for SPS corals in your reef tank requires careful attention and effort, but the reward of having a thriving and beautiful coral in your aquarium is well worth it. By providing adequate lighting, water quality, nutrition, and placement, you can ensure that your SPS corals will thrive and provide a stunning addition to your reef tank. With proper care and attention, SPS corals can be a long-lasting and fascinating part of your aquarium for years to come.

SPS Coral

Acropora can be one of the more difficult corals to keep, but can also be the most rewarding.  Acropora grows extremely fast under the right conditions and can provide beautiful tree-like shapes in your aquarium. Acropora normally requires a high amount of light with a high volume of alternating flow to keep them happy and colourful. Acropora is the apex of our hobby as once they establish themselves, look out! You'll be hooked forever when you see your first frag encrust! 

SPS corals are hard corals (Scleractinia) that build an internal skeleton made of calcium carbonate. 

As they require calcium carbonate to build a skeleton, SPS corals need a consistent calcium and alkalinity level. If these levels drop too low or fluctuate it will stress the coral. Use of a doser or calcium reactor is a must for aquariums larger than 60L.

SPS corals also need high energy water movement. All areas of the tissue and polyps need to receive water flow in order to stay healthy. SPS corals need high levels of evenly spread defused light. Depending on coral genus, it will need somewhere between 150 and 600 umols of P.A.R. (photosynthetic active radiation).

Stability is key with all coral but this is more important with SPS corals. Keeping water parameters stable and consistent is paramount to maintain the health of SPS corals.

Montipora Coral 

Montiporas are one of the best types of coral for beginner hobbyists because of their ease of care and growth rate. They display many different types of growth patterns and colour morphs. We provide all sorts of colorful, rainbow Montipora for sale, including favorites such as neon green and red Montipora. From; plating structures, to branching, to encrusting, to a mixture of all three, the shapes they take on can be diverse even among the same species in two different aquariums. They should usually be placed midway in your reef as they like a medium amount of light. The only exception to this light preference is for plated or encrusting Montipora, which should be positioned near the bottom of your reef as they can easily be burned. All species of Montipora coral frag love higher flow levels, so be sure to provide them with plenty of water circulation. Montiporas are not aggressive at all and should not be kept near aggressive corals. Be sure to give them plenty of room so they do not grow into a more aggressive species or shade a nearby coral. View our inventory of Montipora corals for sale.

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